Doing things in games affect you?

[Daniel of Sweden]

Hello dear christian community,

I just feel a bit about affect this, I was playing this game, and a quest involved some for me disturbing things. During a part of a quest you had to touch some object(s) and absorb an evil spirit to complete the quest. I did not know this beforehand, and did not like it but didn't think much about it.

Later with a dialogue with a computer character they commented something like this:
To enter this place you much first touch this object and absorb this spirit/demon, you will be eternally afflicted by it but you must do so for mankind.

I just feel betrayed the game now, but the question I have is, does that somehow affect me or something? I'm a believer in these things, perhaps it only affects you if you believe in it?

Thanks for any reply,
Regards

 

[Gregory Thompson]

It's just a game.

If it really bugs you, start a new character, and don't do that quest.

 

[Nithavela]

Hello dear christian community,

I just feel a bit about affect this, I was playing this game, and a quest involved some for me disturbing things. During a part of a quest you had to touch some object(s) and absorb an evil spirit to complete the quest. I did not know this beforehand, and did not like it but didn't think much about it.

Later with a dialogue with a computer character they commented something like this:
To enter this place you much first touch this object and absorb this spirit/demon, you will be eternally afflicted by it but you must do so for mankind.

I just feel betrayed the game now, but the question I have is, does that somehow affect me or something? I'm a believer in these things, perhaps it only affects you if you believe in it?

Thanks for any reply,
Regards

Sounds rad, which game is it?

 

[Daniel of Sweden]

It's just a game.

If it really bugs you, start a new character, and don't do that quest.

Ok thanks for the advice, but I cant since it's an mmorpg and I've put many hours into the character.
But as you say it's just a game, I'll just have to figure something out to forget/deal it.

Sounds rad, which game is it?

The game is called Tibia. One of those games which is essentially just a long grind.

 

[MasterYourLife]

Hello dear christian community,

I just feel a bit about affect this, I was playing this game, and a quest involved some for me disturbing things. During a part of a quest you had to touch some object(s) and absorb an evil spirit to complete the quest. I did not know this beforehand, and did not like it but didn't think much about it.

Later with a dialogue with a computer character they commented something like this:
To enter this place you much first touch this object and absorb this spirit/demon, you will be eternally afflicted by it but you must do so for mankind.

I just feel betrayed the game now, but the question I have is, does that somehow affect me or something? I'm a believer in these things, perhaps it only affects you if you believe in it?

Thanks for any reply,
Regards

Stay away from all things that are evil. Whether it's a game or not.
Are evil things entertaining to you?
If not, then why do you do them?

 

[Messerve]

Ok thanks for the advice, but I cant since it's an mmorpg and I've put many hours into the character.
But as you say it's just a game, I'll just have to figure something out to forget/deal it.



The game is called Tibia. One of those games which is essentially just a long grind.

Yeah that sounds a lot like Skyrim. I remember watching a friend play it and thought it was really fascinating how it was basically an entire world you could explore. But then I was a little taken aback by the random "spells" that would be displayed between scenes and the sorcery rituals it made you do to complete missions. Without out that stuff, I definitely would have considered playing with him.

I'm kind of sensitive to that stuff, like you. When I was a kid I was fascinated by the concept of haunted things and Halloween. If I wrote a story for school it would always be about some abandoned house with scary creatures living inside. As a teenager I slipped into the foolish thinking that a specific cross necklace would help me pass tests if I wore it or kept it in my pocket... Thankfully I quickly realized what a dumb thing I was doing and gave that up immediately.

So I get your concerns. I would personally say you should stop playing it if you're convicted about it or feel vulnerable to experimenting with stuff you shouldn't.

 

[~Anastasia~]

How much and in what way games affect us vary from one person to another. Honestly I think things like realistic violence and compromises of morality on an ongoing basis are a bigger concern for how we are being formed rather than invented demons, spells, and gods.

I do play video games. I'm not interested in ones that are JUST about killing, stealing. And I will usually ignore quests that are morally distasteful to me. I can actually feel that weakening in the moral walls by habitually doing such things in games - not that it would cause me to kill or steal but I can sense a shifting within so I choose to avoid certain things.

But at the same time, games like Final Fantasy involve summoning characters that are usually modeled after various invented "gods" and ... that has zero effect on me. I simply need to remember the particular effects each one uses and know how to fit them into the strategy.

If a thing makes you uncomfortable, whatever it might be, it's best to avoid it IMO. Not because it's necessarily going to affect you (though if you realize it does, you should definitely avoid it) ... but because otherwise you're rationalizing away your conviction for the sake of excusing something you want to do. It's important to be convinced that what we do is permitted, or else we risk damaging our conscience.

But being sensitive to what does and doesn't affect you, and how, is a good guide to be able to use as well.

For this reason I prefer games that allow me to make particular moral choices instead of forcing me into a set series of events. I'm playing Skyrim but I set a few quests on hold because I don't want to do them. And it lets you opt not to do things too, and play basically any moral style you want.

 

[Daniel of Sweden]

Stay away from all things that are evil. Whether it's a game or not.
Are evil things entertaining to you?
If not, then why do you do them?

Hi, No, Evil things has never been entertaining. I havn't much considered things to be evil, let alone games. But things have made me more convinced of god and christianity and such.
There aren't many games I can still play, Tibia is one of the few since there is no violence in it.
For some reason I can't stand violence any longer.
I do believe violence affect us on a spiritual level. Today it's normalized, which we still don't know what the effect will be on people. I mean, it's getting more and more realistic.

The quest didn't tell me like, you gotta do this and this stuff and then you get the reward, ok?. I went on an online service with other people, and you go into a room with a throne. If you walk upon the throne, you suddenly get the text, "You absorbed the spirit of this", and it's supposedly a demonic deity of 7 demons. But I was on a service and you literaly have to think fast so that you dont get behind. I stepped on seven thrones. I honestly did not want to do something like this, I just wanted to complete a quest I'm nostalgic about. (And of course get the reward)

The follow up quest was further aweful, "The inqusition", where you have to go and kill demons (I did not go on this service because of this), you're told something in the lines of "Do this quick, before your usefulness expires". I just really don't know how to feel about this level of story writing, it feels bad.

So I get your concerns. I would personally say you should stop playing it if you're convicted about it or feel vulnerable to experimenting with stuff you shouldn't.

Yes, I believe though we might not realize it, it can affect us negatively. I don't know why I suddently feel better if I dont go along with a certain quest that makes me do bad things. I mean it's just a game.

For this reason I prefer games that allow me to make particular moral choices instead of forcing me into a set series of events. I'm playing Skyrim but I set a few quests on hold because I don't want to do them. And it lets you opt not to do things too, and play basically any moral style you want.

Yes, I think it's good to have a moral compass when you're playing games. Games gives you the possibility to do whatever you want, without consequences. Which I believe can be dangerous.

Well, I've been leaning on deleting my character. It's hundreds and hundreds of playing hours, but I actually believe I would feel better. The problem is that the character is tied to alot of memories with friends. I play this game for nostalgia and just to relax, because it's a game where you have to have lots of patience and repeat things, and do not have to think alot.

I'm just allergic to demonic stuff and stories like that and don't want to hear about stuff like it. I mean I could just go along and pretend it didn't happen, or can I?

Thanks for the input, I think I really needed some other opinions on this. I'll just have to wait a little bit and try to feel what I should do.

 

[Aleph.beth]

If your conscience says not to do something listen to her, she is part of god's voice to you

 

[Pádraigín Ní Saorlaith]

Hello dear christian community,

I just feel a bit about affect this, I was playing this game, and a quest involved some for me disturbing things. During a part of a quest you had to touch some object(s) and absorb an evil spirit to complete the quest. I did not know this beforehand, and did not like it but didn't think much about it.

Later with a dialogue with a computer character they commented something like this:
To enter this place you much first touch this object and absorb this spirit/demon, you will be eternally afflicted by it but you must do so for mankind.

I just feel betrayed the game now, but the question I have is, does that somehow affect me or something? I'm a believer in these things, perhaps it only affects you if you believe in it?

Thanks for any reply,
Regards

If it makes you feel uncomfortable or concerned about your relationship with God, that's probably a good reason to step back from the game. But do not forget that God loves you and will forgive you.

 

[PizzaAddict]

Hello dear christian community,

I just feel a bit about affect this, I was playing this game, and a quest involved some for me disturbing things. During a part of a quest you had to touch some object(s) and absorb an evil spirit to complete the quest. I did not know this beforehand, and did not like it but didn't think much about it.

Later with a dialogue with a computer character they commented something like this:
To enter this place you much first touch this object and absorb this spirit/demon, you will be eternally afflicted by it but you must do so for mankind.

I just feel betrayed the game now, but the question I have is, does that somehow affect me or something? I'm a believer in these things, perhaps it only affects you if you believe in it?

Thanks for any reply,
Regards

Perhaps rituals in most games are man made but true witchcraft / enchanting and divinity exists .

If it makes you not comfortable then don't do it .

 

[Daniel of Sweden]

I talked to a guy in game, and he advised not to be affected by the things written in the game and instead focus om what I believe about my character. So I have to strengthen my belief. Perhaps the thing that was affected was my belief.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I talked to a guy in game, and he advised not to be affected by the things written in the game and instead focus om what I believe about my character. So I have to strengthen my belief. Perhaps the thing that was affected was my belief.

Just a bit of a comment. Not about whether what he said was wrong or right, but something to consider for now and future.

You asked a fellow gamer. Is he also Christian and did you ask in that context? If he's not or you didn't, then be careful in the future of seeking advice on Christian concerns from non-Christian people, especially when it lets you keep doing something you want to do but feel uncomfortable with. What I mean is, don't get into the habit of looking for excuses or undermining your conscience.

Now, his advice may be fine. And it may be find to play (or not) and it may affect you (or not). I'm not commenting on all that either way. I'm only saying - be careful of advice you seek in particular contexts, and in why you choose to accept one person's advice and maybe not another's. Just good to keep yourself aware of in any situation.

God be with you.